Truck.



W. F. OLIVER & B. W. GRAVES.

TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED APR.I0. 1918.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918..

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

3-131-53- Imwemrs W E 014 /9/92 3.06. Erma/es W. F. OLIVER 64 B. W.GRAVES.

TRUCK. APPLICATION FILED A PII. l0. I918.

PL I

s a snares ra tan oration.

WILLIAM F. OLIVER, 0F OAKLAND, AND BERT W. GRAVES, OF SAN JOSE,CALIFORNIA.

TRUCK.

To all who: it may concern:

Be it known that we, it-LIAM F. OLIVER and BERT \V. GRAvEs, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Oakland, in the county .of Alameda andState of California, and

San Jose. county of Santa Clara, State of California, respectively, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Trucks, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to a truck.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple,substantial truck for facilitating the loading and trucking ofcomparative heavy packing cases and the like received at stores,ware-houses, etc.. and particularly to provide a one man truck which isprovided with means operable by one man for placing the load upon thetruck and for unloading it and placing it wherever desired. Furtherobjects will hereinafter appear.

The invention also consists of the parts and the construction,combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully describedand claimed, having refer ence to the accompanying drawings, in which aI Figure 1 is a plan view of the truck.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same, showing the rear apron in the foldedposition.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, showing therear apron in the lowered position and the steering tongue in thevertical position, said View also showing parts of the steering tonguein section.

Fig. 4' is a perspective view of the plate on which the semi-circularcollar 12 is formed.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A indicates a load receivingplatform which, in this instance, is supported between a pair of sideframes 2 constructed of angle iron or other suitable material. Theseside frames are tied together by means of the loading platform and alsoby means of a cross plate 3 secured to the forward end of the frames.This cross plate also serves as a support for a bracket 4 which ispivotally attached thereto by means of a king bolt 5. Journaled in thebracket 4 is a steering wheel 6 and pivotally mounted in said bracketahead of the steering wheel, as at 7, is a trunnion member 8 in which ismounted the steering tongue generally indicated at 9. This steeringtongue consists of a rod 10 which is vertically movable in theSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

Application filed April 10, 1918. Serial No. 227 ,7 85

trunnion 8, vertical movement in an upward direction being limited by amember 11 formed on the lower end of the rod and the downward verticalmovement being limited by a ratchet wheel 12 secured on the upper end ofthe rod. The rod 10 extends through the ratchet wheel 12 and has securedon its upper end a tube 13 which forms the steering lever of the tongue.It also serves the function of a winding drum and a lever for unloadingfreight deposited upon the loading platform A.

This is accomplished in the following manner: Secured on the tube 13 isa collar 13" and secured in an eye 14 in said collar a rope or cable 15which is adapted to be wound about the tube.- The free end of this cableis provided with a grappling hook 16, of suitable construction, which isadapted to grip a packing case or the like when it is to be placed uponthe loading platform. as will hereinafter be described. The tube thusserves as a winding drum about which the cable 15 may be wound, and itis therefore essential that the rod 10 may turn freely within thetrunnion member 8. It is turned within said trunnion by means of ahandle 17 which is secured in the head member 18 turnably mounted on therod 19 which is secured in the upper end of the tube. This rod alsocarries a ratchet wheel 20 which is secured thereto, while the head 18carries a pawl 21. This pawl is keyed but slidably mounted on anextension of the head 18 and therefore permits the handle to be turnedfreely in one direction, but turning movement of the handle in theopposite direction causes the pawl to drop by gravity into engagementwith the teeth of the ratchet 20 which is secured to the rod 19, thusturning the rod, the ratchet 20, the tube 13, the collar 13 the ratchetWheel12 and the rod 10 in the trunnion member 8 which serves as ajournal member and support therefor, the members, when turned, beinglocked against reverse movement by a pawl 22 which is pivotally mounted,as at 23, upon the cross plate 3. This pawl will, of course, engage theteeth of the ratchet wheel 12 and will therefore lock said membersagainst reverse movement when the pull is exerted upon the cable 15.This pawl may, however, be released at any time, when desired, byswinging the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet 12 by means of thelever 24 secured The rear end of the truck is supported upon a pair ofwheels 25 positioned one mounting 27 to the lowered position, shown in-Fig. 1, or to the folded position shown in Fig. 2, a pocket 28 beingformed in the loading platform for the reception of the apron. The lowerend of the apron is provided with a pivotal section 29 which permits thelower end of the apron to contact with the floor when loading. Thisapron is pivotally mounted between arms 30 which support the apron, androllers 31 are mounted under the apron section 29 to permit the lowerapron section 29 to move freely when the truck is being pulled over thefloor. The pivotal connection of the lower section is of considerableimportance as it permits the lip of the apron to positively contact withthe floor and to be wedged under a packing case or other article to behandled, thus giving .it a start when it is to be pulled up to the loadreceiving platform of the truck.

The main apron 26 also carries a roller 32. This roller extendscrosswise of the apron and is journaled, as at 33, between the arms 30at a point ahead of the pivotal connection 27 between the apron and thetruck. This is also of considerable importance as a packing case, whenpulled upon the apron, rides upon the roller, thus permitting it to bemore easily moved and the roller also serves to lift the apron clear ofthe floor the moment the center of the weight is pulled beyond theroller, as the weight of the case thus exerted on'the roller will causethe apron to swing about the pivotal connection 27 to a po'int where itis raised clear of the-floor. The load'when placed on the loadingplatform will, in this manner, automatically maintain the apron out ofcontact with the floorand permit the truck to be freely moved whenpulled from place to place.-

In operation, when it is desired to place a heavy case upon the truck,this is accomplished by first lowering the apron, as shown in F ig. 3.The truck. is then backed up against the case and the lower apronsection 29 wedged thereunder. The cable 15 is then unwound by releasingthe lower pawl 22 and the hooks 16 are position-ed in the sides of thecase. The steering tongue is, of course, raised to the verticalposition, shown in Fig. 3, and it is here locked by raising itvertically until stopped by the head member 11. This permits an annulargroove 12 formed in the lower face of the ratchet wheel to engage asemi-circular collar 12 formed on the plate which is secured on thecrossplate 3, the detail of this plate ibeingshown in Fig. 4. The

rectly on to the platform A by merely turning the steering tongue bymeans of the handle 17 and it is only necessary to move said handleratchetwise, as the pawl 21 will automatically move into and out ofengagement with the ratchet wheel 20 when the handle 17 is thus turned,the whole steering tongue being, as previously described, locked againstreturn movement when the cable is placed under tension or whil the loadis being pulled up to the platform by the lower ratchet wheel 12 and thepawl 22. The

load when pulled clear up on the platform exerts its weight upon theroller 22 and therefore raises the apron 26 to an approximate horizontalposition, thus preventing interference of the apron with theobstructions inthe floor. The-grappling hooks may be released the momentthe case or load is in position on the truck and .the steering tonguemay be swung about the pivot 7 to pulling position by first raising itvertically to release it with relation to the segmental collar 12*. Thetruckmay, in this manner,

be pulled to any place desired and the freight may here be unloaded bythe lever action of the steering tongue.

The removal of the freightis materially facilitated by providing a lever40. This lever is fork-shaped at its lower end. and ispivotallyjattached, as at 41, to the collar 13*. It may therefore beswung into a horizontal position and interposed between the load and thesteering tongue, thus acting as a pusher between the steering tongue andthe load, which will force the load off the rear end of the truck. Thisrod may be folded up against the steering tongue, as shown in Fig. 3,when in use and it is only lowered or interposed between the steeringtongueand the load when it is desired to remove the same from the truck.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a one-mantruck, that is, a truck that is provided with means for pulling acomparatively heavy case upon the load receiving platform, said means tobe operated by one man and said means also adapted to remove or unloadthe freight when and wherever desired. These features are obtained byconstructing the truck,as shown, as one man can easily perform thefunctions described. It is therefore, not only a labor Saving device'butit should prove a great utility to any store or warehouse whereconsiderable freight and heavy goods are handled.

The materials and finish of the several parts herein shown and describedmay be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer dictate.

Ive also wish it understood that various changes in the form,proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to withinthe scope of the appended claims, and that we do not wish to limitourselves to the specific design and construction here shown.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A truck comprising aframe,.a pair of wheels supporting the rear endof said frame, a steering wheel supporting the forward end, a bracketpivotally attached to the frame in which said wheel is journaled, asteering tongue pivotally mounted in said bracket adapted to assume avertical position with relation to the frame and any angular positionbetween the vertical and a horizontal, means permitting the tongue to beturned in the pivotal connection and a winding drum on said tongue. v

2. A truck comprising a frame, apair of wheels supporting the rear endof said frame, a steering wheel supporting the for-, ward end, a bracketpivotally attached to the frame in which said wheel is journaled, asteering tongue pivotally mounted in said bracket adapted to assume avertical position with relationto the frame and any angular positionbetween the vertical and a horizontal, means permitting the tongue to beturned in the pivotal connection, a winding drum on said tongue andmeans for locking the tongue against movement in the pivotal connectionwhen in the vertical position. Y

3. A truck comprising a frame, a pair of wheels supporting the rear endof said frame, a steering wheel supporting the forward end, a bracketpivotally attached to the frame in which said wheel is journaled, a

steering tongue pivotally mounted in said bracket adapted to assume avertical position with relation to the frame and any angular positionbetween the vertical and a horizontal, means permitting the tongue to beturned in the pivotal connection, a winding drum on said tongue, meansfor locking the tongue against movement in the pivotal connection whenin the vertical position, and means permitting vertical movement of thetongue and turning movement of same when in the vertical position.

4. In a truck, he combination with a steering wheel supporting theforward end of the truck, of a bracket pivotally attached to the truckin which sald wheel is jour-" naled, a trunnion member pivotally mountedin said bracket, a rod turnably mounted in said trunnion, and means onsaid rod for locking the rod against turning movement in one direction.

5. In a truck, the combination with a steering wheel supportingtheforward end of the truck, of a bracket pivotally attached to thetruck in which said wheel is journaled, a trunnion member pivotallymounted in said bracket, a rod turna'bly mounted in said trunnion, meanson said rod for locking the rod against turning movement in onedirection and means for locking the trunnion member against pivotalmovement when the rod is in the vertical position.

6. In a truck, the combination with a steering wheel supporting theforward end of the truck, of a bracket pivotally attached to the truckin which said wheel is ournaled, a trunnion member pivotally mounted insaid bracket, a rod turnably mounted in said trunnion, means on said rodfor locking the rod against turning movement in one direction, means forlocking the trunnion member against pivotal movement when the rod is inthe vertical position, a winding drum on the rod, a cable secured at oneend to said drum, a grappling hook on the opposite end of said cable, ahandle turnably mounted on the upper end of the rod, a ratchet wheelsecured to the rodand a pawl carried by the handle engageable with theratchet wheel when the handle is turned in one direction and adapted toride freely over the ratchet wheel when the handle is turned in theopposite direction.

7. In a truck, the combination wit-h the truck frame of an apronpivotally mounted on the rear end of the frame and a roller extendingcrosswise of the apron and journaled therein ahead of the pivotalconnection between the apron and the frame.

8. In a truck, the combination with the truck frame of an apronpivotally mounted on the rear end of the frame, a roller extendingcrosswise of the apron and journaled therein ahead of the pivotalconnection between the apron and the frame and a second apron pivotallyattached to the lower end of the first-named apron.

9. In a truck, the combination with the truck frame of an apronpivotally mounted on the rear end of the frame, a roller extendingcrosswise of the apron and journaled therein ahead of the pivotalconnection between the apron and the frame, a second apron pivotallyattached to the lower end ofthe first-named'apron, and rollerssupporting said second apron.

10. In a truck, the combination with the truck frame of an apronpivotally mounted on the rear end of the frame, a roller extendingcrosswise of the apron and journaled therein ahead of the pivotalconnecend of the first-named apron, and a pocket formed in the truckpermitting the apron to be swung thereinto.

11. A truck comprising a frame supported upon a pair of wheels at therear end and upon a steering wheel at the forward end, a bracket memberpivotally attached tothe frame in which said steering wheel isjournaled, a steering tongue pivotally mounted in sald bracket, meanspermitting turning movement of sald steering tongue within the pivotalconnection, a winding drum on said steering tongue, a cable securedthereto, means for locking the steering tongue against turning movementin one direction, means for turnmg the steering tongue inthe oppositedirection, an apron pivotally attached to the rear end of the truck anda roller extendingcrosswise of the apron and I journaled therein aheadof the pivotal connection between the apron and the frame.

12. A truck comprising a frame supported upon a pair of Wheels at therear end and upon a steering wheel at the forward end, a bracket memberpivotally attached to the frame in which said steering wheel isjournaled, a steering tongue pivotally mounted in said bracket, meanspermitting turning movement of said steerlng tongue within the pivotalconnection, a winding drum on said steering tongue, a cable securedthereto, means for locking the steering tongue against turning movementin one direction, means for turnlng the steering tongue in the oppositedirection, an apron pivotally attached to the rear end of the truck, aroller extending crosswise of the apron and journaled therein ahead ofthe pivotal connection between the apron and the frame, a second apronsection pivotally attached to the lower end of the first-named apron, apair of rollers, one at each end thereof supporting said apron and apocket formed in the frame of the truck adapted to receive the apron andpermit it to be swung about the pivotal connection to assume ahorizontal position within the frame of the truck. In testimony whereofwe have hereunto set our hands in the presence of twosubscribing-witnesses.

Witnesses NORMAN ,CRoNDAoE, BERT. FRATUS.

